The Bentgo lunch box for kids: Could this be a better bento?

by Christina Refford | School Gear

My kids tend to like a lunch made up of several snack-sized options, which can be such a pain to pack. And certainly no fun when they get home with a bunch of little containers for me to clean out. And while their bigger-kid appetites might be too large to be...

The Happy Mat that saved mealtimes

by Esther Chen | Kitchen + Dining

My toddler seeks out new ways daily to make mealtimes all stress and all mess. Food on the floor, “non-slip” mat thrown in the air, liquids everywhere–you name it, he’s done it. It’s more than the OCD in me can handle some...

Mama’s Milk Warmer: you’ll never have to wait for water to boil again

by Esther Chen | Baby

It’s 3 a.m. and your baby is screaming at the top of her lungs. You are trying to heat up breast milk as quickly as humanly possible. Microwaving creates hot spots and potentially burnt mouths. Placing a bottle in a pot of boiling water makes it bob up and down...

Beating the winter blahs with a shot of color to your table

by Liz Gumbinner | Kitchen + Dining

Lately, I love the idea of my dinner table feeling coordinated but not entirely matchy-matchy. And then I saw these gorgeous handmade cloth napkins at the Shapes Colors Etsy shop and thought, yes! Just like that! The artist, San Francisco mom Samantha Cisneros,...

10 kitchen gadget gifts for every family cook, even the reluctant ones.

by Stacie Billis | Kitchen + Dining

Whether we like it or not, all of us parents become the family cook at some point, and even those of you who hate to cook know that it doesn’t get us out of it. (Darn kids and their need to eat.) These fab kitchen gadget gifts are some of my very favorites. They...

Make your holiday cake and taste it, too.

by Kate Etue | Kitchen + Dining

I have a weakness for beautiful desserts, and our Pinterest boards are full of recipes I can’t wait to try. I’d love to serve a new cake at my holiday parties this year, but you know how brand new recipes and big events sometimes don’t go so great...

Modern holiday table setting tips: A huge array of ideas to keep it easy, affordable, and fun!

by Liz Gumbinner | DIY

Let me first be totally upfront: The idea of setting a holiday table kind of terrifies me. I am not someone who can just effortlessly whip up an Elsa’s castle centerpiece made of handmade gingerbread, or pick up a calligraphy pen and go to town on place cards. I...

Dapple natural baby cleaning products: No surface left unclean

by Esther Chen | Uncategorized

Having a baby has been a joy, a wonder, a delight–all that warm and fuzzy stuff. But I have a confession to make: It has also made me a germaphobe. I’ve never been a neat freak, but lately, I’ve morphed into a little bit of an obsessive...

What’s better than cookies? Cookies that look just the way you want them.

by Delilah S. Dawson | Kitchen + Dining

I just cooked to say I Love You. And Superstar, and Happy Birthday, and pretty much any message up to 17 letters that can be stamped into a cookie. Thanks to this genius customizable Cookie Stamper, you can customize any message with letters, numbers, hearts,...

Raise your hand if you’d like your kid’s food to stay on the plate, not on the floor.

by Melissa | Baby

Meal time with a toddler can feel like a special kind of hell. Aside from picky eating, the real frustrations for me came in when my little eaters managed to throw what seemed like all of their food on the floor. If you’re the type of parent who spends countless...